Team

Grounded in over 25 years’ senior leadership experience in organizational effectiveness, technology optimization and strategic planning, Jeff Gerkin has worked in diverse sectors, including financial and business services, healthcare, manufacturing, consumer goods and energy, in companies, large and small.

Described as authentic and relatable, he has worked with C-suite leaders and professionals at all levels, helping them to develop the emotional intelligence and abilities needed to confidently scale, accelerate growth and lead successful change through changing cycles. He also works to build cross-functional organizational alignment from the boardroom to the front lines, bridging high-level strategy with ground-level implementation.

The objective is the multiplier effect – when the right pieces, the right timing, the right environment are all aligned and then everything explodes.

Jeff earned a BSc in Economics, from Illinois State University, an MBA from Minnesota’s University of St. Thomas, and a Chief Digital Officer Certificate, from Illinois’ Northwestern University. As a Certified Executive Coach, he works to develop intentional, inspiring and engaging leaders who achieve their goals by making better choices.

A committed life-long learner and workforce and leadership development geek, Jeff stays current through continual executive education at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, focusing on growth strategy, AI, analytics, behavioral science, and digital leadership.

Married 32 years, with two “best daughters in the world” and two dogs, Jeff can often be found in the great outdoors biking, hiking, and snowshoeing.

Marty’s 20+ year career has shaped him as a valued strategic partner. As a former broadcaster and journalist, he brings innate curiosity to business and the interpersonal dynamics of leadership teams. Marty is cognizant of the workings of a team and how to build high-functioning, high-performing teams, while enjoying fun and success along the way. Confidence is a key thrust of Marty’s coaching and consulting practice. He wants to cultivate leaders who are confident in their strategies, their people, their judgements, and ability to make changes: in themselves, in their teams and in their businesses.

Marty spent 12 years at critically-acclaimed DDB Canada where he was responsible for leading both the integrated planning and innovation mandate for the agency as well as lead of the digital and social media practice (Tribal Worldwide). Marty led the strategic planning that launched Canada’s first full-online insurance company (Sonnet.ca), helped revitalize a dated brand (Capital One) and helped launch one of America’s beloved department stores (Nordstrom) into the Canadian market. More recently Marty was the Chief Operating Officer for iQmetrix, a $50 million retail software company that powers more than 20,000 retail stores for Verizon, Sprint, TELUS, Charter and COX.

Marty knows how isolating leadership can be for CEOs and Executive teams. As an ICF-certified (ACC) executive coach, he wants to be a trusted, critical thinking partner to leaders who are trying to grow and thrive and build generationally-resilient businesses. He also wants the leaders he works with to be able to balance the demands of work with the joy and abundance that comes from having strong mental and physical interests and resilience outside of work.

When he’s not in the Boardroom coaching and consulting with clients, he can be found coaching on the sidelines (high school football, hockey, baseball and/or soccer) and has been chasing ’scratch’ on the golf course for many years. Marty has taught social media governance in UBC’s Continuing Studies program. He’s a semi-retired marathoner and triathlete, having completed more than 4 marathons and an Ironman triathlon among many other races that have challenged his physical and mental fortitude. He and his wife have a place in Osoyoos where they spend a lot of time in the summer wakesurfing with their teenaged son and his friends.

For Chris, strategy is the sweet spot. With more than a decade of strategic expertise, Chris approaches strategic coaching with a motivation to unlock leadership potential by empowering executive teams to face the brutal facts and commit to momentous growth. He has solved strategic and operational challenges in Retail, Food tech, Edtech, and Aviation.

Known for his ability to get to the heart of the matter with thoughtful and probing questioning, Chris holds teams accountable to critical and challenging questions. He has developed his strategic lens through the ’Scaling Up Methodology,’ and Jim Collins’ principles, and in his work as a counsellor. He prioritizes practical frameworks to facilitate enduring change. Above all, Chris is motivated by quality and human curiosity.

A former professional athlete, he brings a pursuit of excellence from the sports arena into the business world. Chris spends his free time outside with his dog, Penny, listening to audiobooks or working with his hands, good tunes in the background.

Tim approaches his work as a coach with magnanimity – a calling to bring out the greatness in others, and to support entrepreneurs in creating corporate cultures that support the fulfillment of people’s dreams.

His greatest satisfaction comes from helping clients to live with greater self-awareness, and purpose aligned with their priorities.

This people-centric approach is grounded in his deep experience in owner-operated businesses building to scale, and in Family-owned, Retail, Hospitality, Tourism, Charitable and Professional Services sectors.

A Certified Coach, Speaker & Trainer with the John Maxwell Team, Tim is also a Certified Facilitator & Trainer with the Extreme Leadership Institute, a Partner & Consultant with the Virtuous Leadership Institute, a Forum Chair with MacKay CEO Forums, and a Partner & COO with JAK’s Beer Wine & Spirits.

When not coaching in the board room, Tim can be found on the field, enthusiastically coaching soccer with South Delta United, and football with the South Delta Rams. He and his wife, Stephanie, reside in Tsawwassen, BC, just outside of Vancouver, with their six children.

A teacher at heart, Dean Ritchey brings specialized expertise from a career as a senior executive in the North American consumer goods/retail sector to his coaching practice.

Combined with a love for the dynamics of the business world, and an unbridled commitment to see people achieve the extraordinary, his passion lies in growth and development, as he works to enhance the skills of leadership teams, and challenge his clients to do – and be – more than they thought possible.

Dean earned a Bachelors of Business Management, and a Masters in Executive Management, and is skilled in the Rockefeller Habits, as a Coach, and a Continuous Improvement trainer.

Intrigued by the links between people’s passion for their work, and the results they generate, Dean focuses on building teams to increase engagement and deliver the results that impact a company’s long-term success. He believes that success is about making a conscious choice to execute the right decisions at the right time and loves discovering those opportunities with his clients.

Dean, a great reader of business books, loves soccer, running, hiking and fly fishing – and travelling in Mexico with his wife Rossy, and their two children.

As a coach and consultant to executives and leaders in high growth entrepreneurial organizations, Kristin Hazzard understands the importance of building and developing high-performing teams. Working with clients internationally, Kristin drives growth in organizations through assessing and developing talent, training leaders, and strengthening executive team alignment. She is an expert at solving complex people issues, navigating relationships and conflict, organizational leadership and development, and optimizing on opportunities to achieve positive results for her clients.

Drawing on a wide breadth of professional practice, a Master’s degree in Educational Practice, an entrepreneurial mindset and experience as an elite athlete, Kristin thinks strategically and focuses on the big picture achieved through measurable goal setting and execution. She is particularly adept at navigating and leveraging the individual and complementary personality styles and skills of people within high performing and cross functioning teams, in different scenarios.

With an affinity towards the psychology of leadership and being a true educator at heart, Kristin is motivated to help leaders grow and take massive action in their lives, both personally and professionally. As an accomplished speaker and best-selling co-author, Kristin inspires through her infectious passion and no-excuses mindset. She is heavily invested in the success of her clients and will roll up her sleeves to solve any challenges they may face and stretch them to achieve their highest potential. She does not accept mediocrity and holds her clients accountable to a high standard. Through her coaching, speaking, and advising, Kristin makes leaders better and ensures companies have  high-performing teams needed for sustainable growth.